Monday, December 31, 2012

can you all believe it's New Year's Eve?! i'm astonished... this year has just flown by. i went riding today and people at the barn kept asking me what i was doing tonight... and that's when i realized that it was indeed December 31st! wowee.

i got my Julep Maven January 2013 It Girl box in the mail today... can't believe it's time to type 2013! their theme was Neons and Nudes... i'm not sure that the polishes are true neons, but, we'll see :)

here's what came in the box...

the extra treaties this month were swatch stickers for the tops of bottles... simply the paint the color on and apply! brilliant! i'm super excited about the hair ties... i've been wanting to try that type for ages and have almost bought them on multiple occasions... don't know why i never did... but now i don't have to :D

Sunday, December 30, 2012

i can't believe i spent most of today sleeping! i guess i'm exhausted from travelling, it always seems to have that effect on me. i'm super excited because in exactly one week one of my brothers is coming to visit!! i can't wait to show him around... and we're going to go on a trail ride at the beach :)

i thought today was just going to be things i bought at Sally's... but found i'd stuck some other purchases in the Sally's bag! so there will be a bit of everything today. i had also bought some French manicure kits from Orly and another Holiday Joy from China Glaze set, but i decided to return those... i thought the Orly brush would be thinner in the French mani bottles... but it was the same!

let's kick off with the Orlys i did get... some off FX off clearance and a few from a new collection... and since the regular ones were buy 2 get 1 free, i got Passion Fruit, which i always pick up and put back :D

i did buy one set from China Glaze Holiday Joy collection, and a single bottle of glitter!

the newest China Glaze Magnetix collection was on clearance, so i grabbed the blue and the magnet!

i found this great glitter topcoat from Seche... i saw this at Cosmoprof and have been lemming it ever since :D

and we move on to things not bought at Sally's. i found these Salon Perfect polishes at Walmart... they seem like they are the same things as China Glaze... the sticker on the bottom of the bottle is identical! sadly, the brush SUCKS.

lastly, we have some Nicole by OPI polishes. i grabbed two today at CVS on clearance from the Kardashian Kollection, and the Selena Gomez flakie i found at Walmart in Phoenix. i know, i know... i'm sure i have multiple dupes of the flakie... but i just can't resist them!!

Saturday, December 29, 2012

it's so good to be home! it's strange, whenever i get home i feel like i've never really been gone... i guess it's just so comfortable to be home :) it's also lovely to be back on my own internet connection... the one's at the hotel were really slow with upload speeds, which made blogging take a bit longer... but i'm just thankful they had wireless at all!

today i thought i'd show you the polishes i found in Phoenix :) i also bought quite a bit at Sally's... but i'm not sure what i'm keeping yet, i'll decide tomorrow and post then! you should run over to Sally's though, they are having an extra 50% off clearance!! i love those sales :D

first up is what i'm most excited about... and what i thought i wasn't meant to get! the Urban Outfitters holographic collection <3333 there isn't an Urban Outfitters anywhere near Monterey, and all the polishes are sold out online... but i happened to walk by a brick and mortar and there they were! i've heard they are very dupable to China Glaze Halo Hues, but even more holo... can't wait to compare them!!

i found some more Layla Magneffects on clearance at Ulta, so of course i had to grab those!

last up, Essence Colour & Go polishes were buy 1 get one 50% off... and since they are only .99 cents to begin with... who can pass that up?!

i was looking over the makeup i brought with me on the trip and wasn't sure if anyone would be interested to know what i packed... let me know if you want me to do a blog on it, please :)

i'm pretty sure i bought things at Sally's i don't really want... we were in a hurry, though, so it was a grab and go situation!

Friday, December 28, 2012

we did the first part of our homeward journey today... i'm so happy that we didn't get stuck in traffic around LA again! we only have around four hours to go tomorrow... it will be so nice to be home again. there's nothing like getting home after traveling, it's the best feeling!

today's polish is Zoya Aurora, the final polish from the Ornate collection! this is the polish that got the most attention... and it is a stunner! it's a purple shimmer full of scattered holographic particles... the purple is quite saturated and the polish really makes an impression. the formula also can't be faulted, two easy to apply coats for full opacity. once a shine topcoat is added, this polish is just beyond gorgeous!

two coats Aurora, one coat Seche Vite.

over the next couple days i'm planning posts on the makeup and nail products i brought with me on the trip... and what i bought while i was travelling! i stumbled onto a couple sales and i found a collection i've been lemming majorly... check back to find out what! Ria :)

Thursday, December 27, 2012

today was our last day in Phoenix... i'm embarrassed to say we spent a chunk of it at Walmart! we ended up needing stuff for the trip home, so had to head over there. i usually enjoy Walmart, but it's not much of a vacation spot :D we had dinner with the family... who turned out to be friends with Sarah of Chalkboard Nails! it was really awesome to get to meet her :)

today's polish is Zoya Blaze from the Ornate collection. it's a deep berry shimmer with slight scattered holographic effect. i'm a bit disappointed that there wasn't a stronger holographic quality to this polish like there were with others in this collection. it is still a beautiful polish, and the formula can't be faulted... two easy coats for full opacity. it benefits greatly from the addition of a shine topcoat, it adds a glassy finish and brings out all the sparkles!

two coats Blaze, one coat Seche Vite.

this polish is a gorgeous color, i actually have it on my toes right now! it's a perfect no-brainer color that is always appropriate!

this is actually my 365th day of blogging... i can't believe it! thank you all for making my first year awesome!! <333 Ria :)

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

we spent today shopping in Old Town Scottsdale... i was in heaven! it's loads of little shops with a lot of jewelry. i found some great pieces! my favorite find is an Indian fetish necklace done entirely in coyote fetishes :)

today we have Zoya Electra from the Ornate collection! i layered it over yesterday's polish, Zoya Logan. Electra is a holographic silver bar glitter. it gives great coverage in one coat and spreads fairly evenly over the nail. there were a couple bald spots i had to place glitter on, but for the most part it was quite easy to apply. a shine topcoat will bring out all the holographic qualities and smooth out the glitter particles!

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

today' polish is Zoya Logan from the Ornate collection. i didn't end up doing any stamping for Christmas, i'm just wearing Layla CE 54 Green Gala (it's really the perfect Christmas polish!)... so, i decided to at least feature a green polish! Logan is a beautiful green foil with gold shimmers in it. it does need a shine topcoat to bring out all the beauty of the shimmers.

two coats Logan, one coat Seche Vite.

check back tomorrow to see what Logan looks like when it's layered with Zoya Electra!

Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas Eve! i hope you all are having a great day :) we spent the first part of the day wandering the town in search of Breyer horse retailers... there are very few here, which made it a fairly quick outing. we're now back at the hotel until it's time to head over to our family's house... i'm doing blog stuff now since i won't be able to tonight, and i have no idea how tomorrow will go!

today's polish is Zoya Storm, from the Ornate collection. this is my easy favorite of the collection, it's black with loads of scattered holographic particles! if you want to try wearing black, but don't want to jump right into a black creme (those can be kind of harsh) this is a great alternative. the formula is awesome, two coats for full opacity. you'll definitely want to add a shine topcoat to bring out all the holo! the pictures just can't capture how awesome this polish is... this is one you have to see in person!

two coats Storm, one coat Seche Vite.

i can't believe tomorrow is Christmas... this year has really flown by! Merry Christmas! Ria :)

Sunday, December 23, 2012

today was lovely! we got to go visit our family in Arizona... and we brought along our dogs to play with their dog. so, Jasper and Jewels had a fantastic afternoon romping in a huge backyard! i'm so glad we made the long drive out here, it's wonderful to be able to be with family for Christmas :)

today's polish is Zoya Ziv, from the Ornate collection. it's a gorgeous gold foil that really makes it look like your nails are covered in gold gilt! the particles are slightly different shades which gives a lot of added depth to the polish. the formula is fantastic, two easy coats for full opacity and dries nice and smooth. you will want to add a shine topcoat to bring out all the sparkle this polish has to offer, though!

two coats Ziv, one coat Seche Vite.

the other five polishes from this collection will be coming up soon... if i do a special Christmas mani that will interrupt the series... we'll see how industrious i'm feeling tomorrow! Ria :)

Saturday, December 22, 2012

whew, we're finally in Phoenix! i'm so glad we did the long chunk of driving yesterday, it made today feel like it went by much faster... which, of course, it actually did :D i was planning on being able to leave the dogs in the hotel room by themselves... but Jewels wasn't having it. so, now they have to come places with us and stay in the car... i wish you could discuss things with dogs... i mean, wouldn't you rather stay in the hotel room than the car!?

today is part two of my collective haulage, and this time it's all about the polishes! most of things you are about to see were bought at different times... even the Sally Hansens were actually not bought together! it's more fun to have a post that has lots of pretties, though... so, i waited and saved 'em up :)

lets go ahead and kick off with those Sally Hansens... the complete Salon Manicure must have been way over-ordered... there was a whole bin of just that color on clearance! the bottom one is Pacific Blue... i have been searching for that color for MONTHS and i finally just found it at Ulta... i've checked there before and no dice, so i was happy to finally get my paws on it. the reason i just had to have it is because Youtube Guru Dulce Candy absolutes raves about it... and i adore her!

next up is a selection of Barielle from Marshalls... at $2.99, who can resist grabbing a few??

then we have the ones that were a surprise to me... Cover Girl has come out with a new line of nail polish called Outlast Stay Brilliant! from swatching these two, it looks like the teal has an iffy formula, but the periwinkle seems amazing... can't wait to try a full mani with these.

last up is a gift set from SpaRitual, i found it on clearance at Pharmaca! the colors are gorgeous, and i just love SpaRitual's bottles :)

what are you guys up to for the holidays? anybody else travelling? Ria :)

Friday, December 21, 2012

whew, first day of driving done! what should have been a 7 hour drive took more like 10... we hit some major traffic that added on the extra three hours. i'm so glad we decided to split up of the drive, we would have been pulling into Phoenix in the wee hours of the morning... much better to sleep and start fresh :)

today is the first of two posts for my beauty purchases over the past couple weeks! i decided to break it up so that it wouldn't just be one monster post. we're going to kick off with Layla, Pixi, and Estee Lauder... and tomorrow will be just polishes!

first up we have some Layla... i got these all at Ulta! i couldn't resist trying out more Softouch polishes... i will probably end up having the entire line... is the teal one droolworthy or what?! and of course i had to snag the Magneffects on clearance... i also had a $5 off $10 purchase, so those ended up super cheap :)

since i was so impressed with Pixi's Lid Last Shadow Pens, i decided to try out their eyeliners called Endless Silky Eye Pens... and i'm in love!! i bought the Black Blue first, tried it for week... and i'm hooked :)

last up i got mascaras by both Pixi and Estee Lauder. i've been looking for a blue mascara to replace the one that i used up that has been discontinued by Lancome, so i tried both of these. the Pixi is called Blackest Blue and it is well-named... it mostly looks black, like a true midnight blue. the Lauder is much more of an actual blue... but they are both great mascaras!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

as always, i've left all i need to do to prepare for our trip to the last minute! i'm probably going to be up most of the night packing and preparing... which is about how it usually goes with me :) i did get all my swatching done so i won't have to worry about that while we're actually in transit... i'm super happy about that!

today's polish is the last one from Christmas In Laylaland... Layla CE 52 The Butterfly Effect! this polish is so amazing... i saw it at Cosmoprof and have been majorly lemming it ever since. i literally did a happy dance when i found the display at Ulta on Black Friday! it's a sheer purple jelly that is packed with orange and green flashing flakies... it's GORGEOUS. surprisingly, the purple builds so easily that it is opaque in two thick coats... and it's easy to work with. it has enough flakies in it that you aren't fighting at all to have them spread around the nail. i thought one coat of topcoat would be enough to give a high shine finish, but it did eventually up most of the topcoat... you'll probably need at least two coats for a glossy finish!

two coats The Butterfly Effect, one coat Seche Vite.

you can see a bit of the green flash, but it was pretty camera shy! you can really see it in person if you hold your nails perpendicular to your eye and look over the tops... it's just beautiful.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

we went and finished up Christmas shopping today, it feels great to have all that taken care of! we are going to go to Phoenix, Arizona for Christmas to visit with family... i feel like i have so much to do to get ready. i really wanted to get some swatching done so i wouldn't have to worry about taking pictures for posts while travelling... but i'm not sure that's going to get done!

today's Christmas In Laylaland polish is Layla CE 51 Dancing With The Stars. such a cute name for this polish, and it fits really well because this polish does look like loads of twinkling stars! it's silver glitter that is chock full of microglitter and also has large and small hex pieces. this would take a lot of coats to get opaque on its own, but it would be beautiful as just a bit of shine over your natural nails, and i adore it as a layering polish! i put it over a black creme (Revlon Black Lingerie) and it looks like the sky at night! i think it would be even more amazing over midnight blue :) i used one coat of topcoat to smooth everything out and bring out all the shine!

one coat Dancing With The Stars over a black creme, one coat Seche Vite.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

went and had my haircut today... i was hoping to color it, but it still has too much color on it from the last time i had it done to be able to turn it as red as i'd like. my stylist suggested using dish soap as shampoo to break up the color... i'm going to try that after Christmas, since i'm not sure what it might make my current color look like!

today from Christmas In Laylaland we have Layla CE 54 Green Gala. it's a gorgeous green jelly full of different sized hex glitters and microglitter! the application is so easy, two smooth coats for full opacity... but you're not limited to that! this polish is sheer enough that it would make a great glaze, so that way you can get all sorts of different looks out of it. you will want add topcoat to bring out the shine and all the jellyness... and you might need to add more than one coat if you want your nails to feel absolutely smooth! a little texture doesn't bother me, though :)

two coats Green Gala, one coat Seche Vite.

i'm thinking this might have to be my Christmas mani... i usually go with red, but this polish is really speaking to me! maybe with some white stamping over it? thoughts?

Monday, December 17, 2012

cold, rainy weather moved in today... it was a bummer because the day started out really lovely! when we finished our lunch, however... it had turned all gloom and doom. i'm hoping that we will be able to have our riding lesson this week, since i missed today and am definitely missing all of next week... but if not, hopefully the new year will bring more riding days :)

today's Christmas In Laylaland polish is Layla CE 55 Space Cowboy. it's a gorgeous gold glitter with sheer peachy base. the gold glitter pieces are made up of large hex, small hex, and loads of microglitter! this is effortlessly glam and super sparkly, i think it would be great for a fancy night out. since it is so sheer, i layered two coats of Space Cowboy over a white creme to get this look. if you like a bit of VNL, it would look great on its own... and the layering possibilities are endless. my only issue with the formula was that the glitter pieces all wanted to congregate at the nail tip, but it was fairly easy to rework. adding the second coat really helped to make it all cohesive! it dries pretty smooth on its own, one coat of topcoat should be enough to seal everything in.

two coats Space Cowboy over a white creme, one coat Seche Vite.

this polish has loads of dimension owing to all the different types of glitter and the fact that it's in a colored base... it's really interesting to look at on the nail!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

well, i think i'm officially allergic to California! i have managed to catch another cold :( some i'm loading up on the Echinacea again... hopefully it'll go away soon. why does orange juice taste so good when you don't feel well?? or is it just me? :)

today we're kicking off reviews of the Christmas In Laylaland collection with Layla CE 53 Killing Red. it is a gorgeous red jelly with golden flakies! this one will keep you staring at your nails, constantly moving them to see all the flakes. because it's a red jelly, the flakes often look red... i did manage to capture color in the photo, though! the formula is great... it only took two coats for full opacity. it does want to eat up topcoat, so you'll probably need at least two coats for that mirror shine.

two coats Killing Red, two coats Seche Vite.

there is a bit of green flash, but i really can't see it on the nail... it showed up in some photos and you can see it in the bottle, though.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

i thought about posting this haul after i did my Layla series... but then i realized that the clearance will be really picked over by then, and i wanted to share it with you all now! CVS has SO MUCH nail polish clearance right now... and at great prices. 50-75% off... i just went for the 75% off ones, the deal was too good to pass up. i got one Milani 3D Holographic (sadly, the rest were already gone) for $1.37 and a bunch of Revlon Top Speed for $1.57 a piece!

here's what i picked up...

most brands had at least a few on clearance... i was really tempted by the Sally Hansens, but the Revlons were a much better deal and i wanted to pretend i have some semblance of control (we all know that's a crock!). please let me know if you take advantage of these deals and what you buy! Ria :)

Friday, December 14, 2012

i can't believe another week has flown by... it's only a week and a half until Christmas! i don't know if that's mind boggling to you guys, but i'm just floored. i feel like there's so much i have left to do! i also need to get my hair cut... and hopefully dyed, if the stylist thinks my hair is ready... i miss being a redhead :D

today's polish is the other Layla i got in the mail yesterday, Ceramic Effect 61 Ipanema Girl... of course the name makes me want to dance around the room singing 'The Girl From Ipanema'! the polish itself is a sparkly mid-toned green (it really does make me think of a grass skirt!) that is almost a duochrome. the lime green sparkles make the shadowed parts of the polish look much darker and greener. the formula flowed really nicely and was super easy to work with, i used two coats for full opacity. i almost went with three because if you look really carefully at just the right angle, you can see a little VNL... but it wasn't noticeable enough to bother me (and i'm picky about that!). adding a shine topcoat will really bring out all the sparkle this 'Girl' has to offer!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

i feel like my sense of days is going to be off for a little bit, it's always an adjustment when my husband has time off! whenever i wake up and he's there, i automatically think it's the weekend... i'm super excited he has a month off, though :) it sounds like his next semester of coursework is going to be really tough, so i'm going to make sure he has really nice, relaxing break!

i got this polish in the mail today, and had to put it on immediately! it's Layla Softouch Effect 02 Golden Touch. since it's from their Softouch line, the finish is matte-like and has zero shine... however, it does have glitter in it, so it has some very subtle sparkle! the juxtaposition is quite nice. the color is a soft, creamy gold... elegant. this polish would be great for parties, but it's also chic and subtle enough that i think it would be appropriate for a lot of work environments! the formula is fairly sheer, i like the opacity at three coats. it would be good for people who like a super subtle look at one coat, it also could be used as a glaze over other polish colors. to completely change the look, add a shine topcoat... it becomes a warmer gold that is super sparkly!

three coats Golden Touch, one coat Seche Vite added to pinky and middle.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

i'm really excited to share with you guys the press release i got today, detailing how you can win Sation polishes by donating your gently used prom dress. it's such an easy way to do something for someone else... something that will really mean a lot to them! read on to find out all about it :)

Miss President accepts Board invite, sponsors nationwide dress drive

Miss Professional Nail President Mike Vo has announced the company’s first annual “100 Dresses” campaign in conjunction with esteemed non-profit Working Wardrobes. After accepting the invitation to join its Board of Directors earlier this year, Vo explored opportunities to support the charity’s confidence-building mission: to empower men, women and young adults who have faced life crises to re-enter the workforce, through job skills and professional wardrobe services.

The “100 Dresses” nationwide campaign will benefit the at-risk high school seniors attending this year’s
“Dreams Girls and Distinguished Gentlemen” Prom Event, presented by Working Wardrobes. Excess dresses will be donated to the Camp Pendleton YMCA to prepare and serve nearly 800 Marine wives so they can attend the Marine Ball.

In return for gently used prom dresses and attire donated to Working Wardrobes, Miss Professional has pledged a gift of six bottles of Sation Nail Lacquer to the first 100 donors; every donor thereafter will receive three bottles. Working Wardrobes founder and CEO Jerri Rosen shares, “We are so honored to have Mike Vo join our Board of Directors. Mike is a powerful voice for corporate social responsibility, as is evident in this amazing national drive Mike is orchestrating. We are looking forward to an avalanche of dresses from
everywhere in the country!”

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

today feels like a Friday because Mr. Pawlish has been home all day... but it's because he only has a final tomorrow and then he's done with school for a month! you definitely get way more vacation when you're attending school than when you're working full time :)

today's polish is Nicole by OPI Miss Independent. it's a gorgeous pale pink metallic that is super sparkly in sunlight! it looks more like a sparkly foil when you're indoors. i'm not in love with the formula, but it could be worse. i used three coats to get it opaque enough for my preference... but at some angles you can still see some VNL. it definitely benefits from a shine topcoat to bring out all the sparklies!

three coats Miss Independent, one coat Seche Vite.

since i'm so pale, this almost gives a mannequin hands effect on me in some lights... which i love, of course!

Monday, December 10, 2012

today has been interesting! i got new phones for my brother and i yesterday, and my phone was getting strange phone calls and people weren't answering my texts... i texted my phone to make sure my phone was actually sending out the texts... only to find that my brother's phone number had been programmed into my phone! has that happened to anyone else?! after calling and getting cut off, i went ahead and just headed back to the store... luckily, they were able to switch the numbers around pretty easily. it's always something, right?

today's polish is a gorgeous brown shimmer, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Coco A-Go-Go. i love this line of polishes, because (like the name implies) they dry really fast! the color of this is gorgeous, a warm brown with subtle amber shimmer. the formula is excellent, two coats for full opacity with an easy to use wide brush! i would definitely add a shine topcoat to bring out all the shimmers in this one.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

today we did more Christmas shopping, and we got new cell phones for my brother and me :D we both had the original Evo. i got the updated Evo, he wanted one called the Motorola Photon, which i had never heard of... the big draw for him was the slide out keyboard... apparently, he's never been happy with the Evo since it has no keyboard. i'm not sure if i'm in love with my new phone... but i've had the same phone for years, so this feels like a huge change!

today's polish is Sation Stirring Silver... this is the one i just picked up at Marshalls. sadly, the lovely blue reflex that's so noticeable in the bottle is nowhere to be found on the nail. what you up with is quite nice, though, it's light blue creme that has really warm undertones that cause it to look greY. however, the name doesn't make any since, it really isn't a true greY and it's certainly not silver! the formula is fantastic, two easy coats for full opacity. it's dries fairly shiny, but looks even better with a shine topcoat.

two coats Stirring Silver, one coat Seche Vite.

the blue reflex really showed up in the photo... i wish it looked exactly like that on the nail!

this weekend has really flown by, i can't believe it's already time for Monday again! cheers to a great week! Ria :)

Saturday, December 8, 2012

we headed out Christmas shopping today, but weren't super successful. got a few things, but we still have a ways to go. apparently everybody else had loads of shopping to do as well, it was packed out at the mall!

went to my usual places earlier this week, but found very little polish-wise. so i just grabbed a couple things that i couldn't resist, and a new bottle of Seche Vite. i threw that in the photo because... well, it's just my favorite :D

i had other pictures that looked much better, but this one showed the polish colors the most accurately... so i used it!

i haven't had any Sephora by OPI polishes in a long time, i'm interested to give these a go. and i couldn't resist the blue sheen in that Sation! i was also wooed by the iridescent bar glitter from Finger Paints... i'm not a big fan of their polishes, but they do make some great glitters. i wanted to get Color Club Snow-Flake (a flakie) but at Sally's it was scented... and i definitely don't want that!

Friday, December 7, 2012

Mr. Pawlish here, making a rare guest appearance. I might have made a guest post sooner, but I just can't find a nail polish color that really speaks to me :( Instead, I'll be reviewing a men's skin care product called Menaji Face & Body Scrub. I'm normally a basic soap and shampoo kind of guy, but I might be inclined to take it a step further after trying Menaji's scrub.

The scrub boasts two options: simple facial application at the sink or a full-body application in the shower. Just be sure not to get it in your eyes! I applied it to my face last night before bed and the results were almost immediate. My face felt cool and refreshed, and my skin soft and smooth. By the time I climbed into bed, a comfortable tingling sensation had spread over my whole face.

I used the product as a full-body scrub in the shower this morning and pretty much got the same results. I used it mostly on my face, stomach, chest, and feet and got the same cool, clean, and smooth feeling. Although I used it sparingly, it was easy to work into a spreadable lather and the scrubby granules reached to all areas applied instead of petering out at the primary application point.

Menaji's scrub works well as a foot scrub, although one might not think about it at first glance. I didn't expect it to make much of a difference on my feet, because, let's face it, they're men's feet! The scrub didn't make my feet feel as refreshingly cool as the other parts of my body, but I think that was only because my feet are less sensitive then most other areas of skin. I have to say, though, that for the first time ever the bottom of my feet felt much smoother after using the scrub on them. That's something that's never happened with anything I've put on them, even lotion!

Overall, I would recommend Menaji's scrub to other men if they're looking for an alternative the man's primitive soap and shampoo regimen. One pointer: be sure to add enough water so the product lathers up as intended.

You can purchase the Face & Body Scrub on Menaji's website, www.Menaji.com for $30!

Now back to your regularly scheduled broadcasting...

hey, everyone! it's Ria :) i hope you enjoyed hearing from Mr. Pawlish! i'm sure this won't be the last time he makes an appearance. i wanted to get a man's take on a man's product... i hope this gives you ladies a Christmas idea! Menaji has loads of products on their website that are perfect for a tough to buy for guy. as you know, packaging is key to me... and their packaging is slick. super chic in a very manly way. i tried out the Face & Body Scrub myself, and it's really nice. i especially loved the scent, it really reminds me of lemon zest... super refreshing! let me know if you all try any Menaji products, and what you think of them!

Happy Friday from the Pawlish's!

:: this product was sent for review, these are our honest opinions! ::

Thursday, December 6, 2012

i'm happy to say the sun finally shone here in Monterey today! we were able to take the dogs on a little walk, and Mr. Pawlish was going to cut the grass... but our apartment complex shares tools, and everything was already checked out! guess everybody was taking advantage of the weather :)

today i'm excited to share with you all NOYA Lip Balms! these are smooth balms that come in four flavors... Classic (which has no scent or flavor), Vanilla, Cherry, and Spearmint. i was able to try out Vanilla and Cherry, and those smell really nice. they don't smell fake to me, they smell more like the actual scents of vanilla and cherry than a lot products do. this is probably because NOYA products are all natural, preservative free, and they're kosher! another wonderful thing about their products is that they are not tested on animals :)

these balms feel really nice on your lips, they aren't chunky or sticky at all. they apply really easily and make your lips instantly feel more moisturized and soft.

i love the packaging, it's nice and chic, something you wouldn't be embarrassed to pull out of your purse no matter where you are!

their slogan is so cute... 'So yummy, you may want to eat it. So natural, you can.' :)

Noya Lip Balms retail for $3.99 and can be bought on their website, NoyaBeauty.com. you can also find them in stores if you live in New York and New Jersey, just the store locator on their website! they also have a blog which has fun posts about beauty trends; there aren't a whole lot of posts, but what is there is good stuff.

what flavor would you be interested in trying? i'm a always Vanilla girl! Ria :)

:: these products were given to me for review, these are my honest opinions! ::

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

bums, rained out of riding again! it poured so much i also didn't feel like heading to get groceries (not that i ever really want to go), but the thought of carrying all those bags through the rain was not happy. hopefully, sunny skies tomorrow! i'm happy because i decided to give Subway around here another try, i haven't eaten it since i first moved here like six months ago because it was so gross that time... they must have been having an off day because it was delicious tonight :)

i decided to spice up my Barielle Jewlie Box mani with Color Club Diamond Drops, a holographic shard flakie glitter. i was really hoping it would be easy to work with... but's it not. i held the bottle upside down for a bit and really swirled the brush around, but i felt like it didn't pick up enough glitter. it also all wanted to congregate at the tip of the nail, so you really had to place some to have coverage of the whole nail. as you can see on my pointer nail, when you really have to work with it, it gets all bubbly! i'm sure i'll use it again, because i really love the look it gives... but i wish it were easier to use! although, i thankfully have to admit it's not the worst. for the most part, it dries flat enough that a layer of topcoat makes it pretty smooth... but some of those big pieces clump up and stick up so much that you'd need mountains of topcoat to tame them!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

today was nice... but it's supposed to rain again tomorrow! all this rain is just crazy... and my dog still hates the backyard. the backyard coupled with rain makes her stand in the doorway and look at me like 'are you kidding me lady?! no way!'... then she turns around and heads back inside. we're still working on it, but even the lure of treats is not enough sometimes to make her brave the oh so scary backyard!

today's polish is Barielle Jewlie Box. this is one of my all time fave types of nail colors, a pale lavender creme. it has strong pink undertones, but it definitely is purple! unlike some polishes of this color, the formula on this one is awesome, great coverage at one coat and full opacity with two. it's not chalky or streaky, either! it dries fairly shiny on its own, but i did finish it off with Seche Vite.

two coats Jewlie Box, one coat Seche Vite.

i found this polish at Marshalls for $2.99. on Barielle's website polishes retail for $8, this polish isn't listed, but there is a lavender called Jewel Box... i'm wondering if i found a misprint?

Monday, December 3, 2012

went to barn today, but ended up not being able to ride since it was so wet and Aramis was so frisky... and because he stepped on my toe! 1500 pounds of horse on your toe is pretty intense. i don't think it's broken though, so i'm trying to just ignore it. it's looking like we might not be able to do much on Wednesday either... since it might rain again! apparently, the Monterey peninsula has a rainy season and this is it... and then we'll be back to never getting any rain.

in today's Basically... post i want to share with the cuticle balm i've been using lately! i use Badger Cuticle Care at night while i'm watching tv because it is a bit oily and leaves your skin way too shiny to be able to take pictures right afterwards. it has a nice citrusy herbal scent that is really soothing, it reminds me of the Badger aromatherapy balms! plus, as i'm sure you've all noticed, i'm a sucker for packaging and this comes in a little tin with an adorable badger on it! this product moisturizes well, but like most things... it works best if it's used regularly.

this product retails for $5.99, the best way to find places the sell Badger Cuticle Care and other Badger Balm products is to use the store locator on their website (you can also order directly from them), i bought mine at Ulta!

have you tried any Badger Balm products? i'm pretty obsessed with them, their will definitely be more reviews of their products in the future! Ria :)

Sunday, December 2, 2012

i know that's a long title for this post... but i figured it was shorter than listing all the polishes by name! i'm really excited to have these polishes for review from the 'Cirque du Soleil: World's Away' inspired collection from China Glaze... just the name is exciting! the ones i'll be sharing with you all today are... Igniting Love, Get Carried Away, Creative Fantasy, Hanging In The Balance, Bend Over Backwards, and finally, Water You Waiting For.

let's get right into it with Igniting Love! it's a bright red creme with a great formula... two easy coats for full opacity. the first coat gave great coverage, but there was still just a little bit of visible nail line, requiring that added coat! it dries really shiny on its own, but i did add a coat of Seche Vite to finish off.

two coats Igniting Love, one coat Seche Vite.

next up we have Get Carried Away, a funky, chunky glitter. it has large orange and silver hexagonal pieces, black bar pieces, loads of black and silver fine hex pieces... all set in a super sheer black base! i decided to just use this on its own, and i really like the effect. three coats would probably have it completely opaque, but i preferred to leave it at two and be able to see more of the dimension in the polish! i think this would look amazing as one sheer coat over white... i will definitely be trying that out. i used a coat of Seche Vite to seal in this look!

two coats Get Carried Away, one coat Seche Vite.

next up is Creative Fantasy. its a beautiful purple creme that dries to a rubbery finish... but once a shine topcoat is added, it becomes super shiny and just a bit squishy looking! i almost left this polish at two coats, but felt it looked better with the added third coat. pictures don't do this one justice, you'll definitely want to try this one out yourself!

three coats Creative Fantasy, one coat Seche Vite.

then we have Hanging In The Balance, a warm, bright blue creme. the formula on this one is excellent, two easy coats for full opacity! it dries shiny on its own, but i did add topcoat to finish it off. my camera absolutely freaked out on this one, so i editted the photo a bit, but still can't capture how beautiful this polish is in person. it's a really saturated blue with slightly green undertones!

two coats Hanging In The Balance, one coat Seche Vite.

next up is Bend Over Backwards, a orangey-red shimmery pearl. the formula is great, two coats for full opacity. it benefits from topcoat to bring out all the shimmers. the brushstrokes were not nearly as visible in person as they seem to be in the photo!

two coats Bend Over Backwards, one coat Seche Vite.

i saved my favorite for last, Water You Waiting For! it's a stunning glitter that lives up to its name... it really does remind me of water. it has blue microglitter, fine hex teal glitter, larger hex blue glitter... all set into a sheer blue base. it almost looks textured in some lights, it's very cool! i only needed two coats for full opacity, which is always exciting with a glitter. it does dry pretty dull, so you'll want to add a shine topcoat. luckily, it dries smoothly, so you won't be worrying about jagged edges sticking up on your nails!

i took pictures, one in the shade that shows more detail and one in the light to show the shine! this is two coats Water You Waiting For under one coat Seche Vite.

this collection can be found at most places China Glaze is sold for $7, my favorite China Glaze retailer is Sally Beauty Supply!

i hope you enjoyed this look at the 'Cirque du Soleil: World's Away' inspired collection from China Glaze! what are your picks from it?

Happy Sunday! Ria :)

:: these polishes were sent to me for review, these are my honest opinions! ::

welcome!

thank you so much for stopping by Ria Loves Pawlish! here you'll find loads of nail polish swatches, reviews, and all things nail related. you'll also find posts on stand out products from the entire realm of beauty! hope you enjoy, Ria :)